72 Hours
by orange sodap0p
Summary: What would happen if a man, wanted for murder, set his eyes on Tohru, or more so, her body? And what would happen if he broke into the Sohma house one night, when just the teens were home?
1. Friday

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Fruits Basket.

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**72 Hours**

-Friday-

by orange sodap0p

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Push through.

Gently pull.

Tug.

Straighten.

Yuki looked at himself in the mirror, fixing his tie. Perfect. It wasn't too long ago when he struggled to accomplish such a simple task, needing Honda-san's help, but now he did it. He did it on his own, and even though it was just a tie, he smiled.

He let his nose lead him downstairs, following the scent of Tohru's cooking. It all smelled so good.. Yuki finished his decent with half-lidded eyes, letting the rhythm of his bare feet padding against the floor lull him back into his sleep-induced haze. He walked into the kitchen and promptly ignored the idiot cat who was once again chugging the milk from the carton. Disgusting. Tohru, however, was adding the finishing touches to breakfast. "Good morning, Honda-san," Yuki spoke, biting back a yawn.

Tohru started, then turned around, surprise written across her face. "Yuki-kun! You scared me," she laughed. "I didn't hear you come down."

Yuki smiled warmly and gestured to the platters. "Do you need any help carrying those?"

Tohru eyed the food in thought and Yuki couldn't help but think how cute it was when she pursed her lips like she did. Then smiling brightly, she nodded. "Yes, if you wouldn't mind."

Kyo rolled his eyes and made a face. Perfect little damn rat. The way those two smiled at each other made him sick. Taking one last swig of milk, Kyo wiped his mouth with his sleeve before stashing the carton back into the fridge. Well, he certainly wasn't going to stick around and listen to them. Huffing, the cat exited the kitchen to sit at the table.

Yuki caught Kyo's actions, his eyes narrowing at the cat's retreating back. "Stupid," he muttered.

"Yuki-kun?" Tohru asked, oblivious to it all. "Could you take these two dishes to the table?"

The rat instantly forgot about Kyo, his attention solely set on Tohru. "Not a problem," he smiled.

* * *

Breakfast was fairly silent, Tohru every now and then attempting to start conversation. Yuki was the only one listening, however, since Kyo just focused on his food, and Shigure his morning newspaper. Eventually, Tohru quieted, allowing herself to get sucked into the silence of the room. They all sat, concentrating on their plates before them, Shigure turning a page every minute or so.

After scanning a few more articles of interest, Shigure folded his paper and placed it on the table. "Oh beloved cousins and little flower!" he sang, dramatically sweeping his arms wide, "I must part with you this weekend! I know you shall miss me so!" Grinning, he surveyed his two cousins and his face fell when they didn't even look up. Didn't anyone appreciate his company in this house?

Thoru gasped, her eyes on Shigure. "Oh no, why Shigure-san?"

"Who cares why," Kyo grumbled, pushing his food around with his chopsticks. "There will be _some_ peace and quiet once he's gone."

"Wrong, Stupid Cat," Yuki corrected, flinging a small piece of food in Kyo's direction. "Peace and quiet only exists when _you_ are gone."

"What did you just say!?"

Yuki continued to eat, disregarding Kyo's shout, which in turn ignited the orange-haired teen's temper even more.

Kyo growled, fists clenched. "Don't you ignore me!" Seeing that he was in fact, ignored, Kyo slammed his fist onto the table, rattling the dishes. Standing he pointed an accusing finger at the rat. "You! Thinking you're so much better, I'll wipe that little smirk off your face!"

Yuki sighed. Another challenge. Really, it'd be just a waste of his time.

Shigure laughed nervously, sensing his house in danger. "I have to leave this weekend for a writers conference," he continued quickly to avoid any possible damage. "Mit-chan keeps bugging me to go, and I'm afraid if I don't the poor girl will hang herself. I'll be returning on Sunday, so try not to break anything while I'm gone." Please, Shigure added, mentally. The cat and rat glared at each other from across the table. Sighing, Shigure continued, his tone serious. "That and...be careful while I'm gone, too. Make sure you keep the house locked up. Big headline this morning was the report of a murder last night and the man hasn't been caught."

All movement ceased, the three teens looking at him wide-eyed. The Dog laughed, waving them off. "Oh you'll be fiiiine, I'm just telling you to be alert, is all." With that, Shigure stood and exited to his study. "Thanks for breakfast, Tooru-kun!" he called over his shoulder.

Tohru's breath caught in her throat. A murderer was running around freely and Shigure is going to leave them for the weekend? "Oh, oh, this is terrible!" Tohru wrung her hands together, nervously. "What if something happens while Shigure-san is gone?"

"Nothing will happen, Honda-san," Yuki placed a calming hand on her shoulder, "Shigure was just warning us and wants us to be safe. I'm sure he didn't mean to scare you," he reassured.

Kyo glared down the hall, rolling his eyes. That dog couldn't be serious for five minutes. And so what if Shigure was around or not, anyway? Damn mutt would just hide in his study. "Whatever," the Cat stood, "I'm leaving, we'll be late."

* * *

Yuki mindlessly scribbled down the words on the chalkboard. His attention elsewhere, occupied with thoughts of a certain brunette who sat a few seats in front of him. He smiled to himself, watching her scrunch up in concentration as she leaned over her notebook, furiously writing down what the teacher lectured about. He could imagine her panicking if she missed a word or two.

Reclining into his chair, Yuki stretched out his legs, looking at the clock behind the teacher's desk. It was almost noon. Glancing outside, he frowned. He didn't have student council today, so he was looking forward to eating lunch with Tohru and her friends in the yard, but it was announced for lunch to be strictly inside today. He grimaced at the thought, feeling the eyes of his fan club watching his every move. Really, didn't they have anything better to do? Finding his attention drawn back to Tohru, he suddenly felt very hypocritical.

The clock struck twelve, and the classroom came to life as chairs screeched back, the students rearranging themselves and chattering noisily. Yuki rose, and followed Tohru—with a slight pang of jealousy—to Kyo's desk near the window. He felt his fan club hover behind him, daring to get as close as they could.

Kyo balanced his chair on two legs, his feet propped onto his desk. The cat was staring out the window, but turned, looking up as Yuki and Tohru arrived. The two grabbed abandoned chairs, placing them on either side of Kyo's desk as the cat removed his feet, his chair hitting all fours with a dull thunk. Tohru then placed three bags onto the clear tabletop, Kyo taking one with a grunt of thanks.

"Thank you, Honda-san," Yuki smiled at her, reaching for his own bag. For the longest time, they had told her she didn't need to make and wrap them lunch, but she would continue to do so anyway. Eventually, the boys had given up.

"Hey!" Uo swung her chair around, joining Tohru and the Sohmas'. Kicking back, she mimicked Kyo, slamming one foot onto his desk.

"Hey yourself," Kyo glared at the yankee. "Get your foot off my shit."

"I'll do as I damn well please!" Uo promptly ignored the cat, resting her other foot on the metal sidebars. "So you hear? Some guy killed his girlfriend last night. Pretty cruel, huh? It's all over the news."

Yuki sweat dropped, slightly uncomfortable around Uo and her boldness, seemingly always instigating a fight without even trying. Suddenly he jumped, caught off guard. How could he never hear the denpai approach behind him?

"Arisa, that is why we are held inside today," Hanajima spoke softly, sliding another chair into the circle.

Uo paused in thought, then grinned. "Yeah I guess you're right!"

Yuki remained fairly silent while the girls chattered on, Uo occasionally saying something to agitate the cat. Repeatedly, he caught himself staring at Tohru for long periods of time, but he just couldn't help it. The way she'd smile and tilt her head ever so slightly when she'd laugh, her hair cascading around her shoulders...

Kyo glanced at the rat out of the corner of his eye, trying hard to hide his disgust. Could he seriously be anymore obvious? Casually, he kicked Yuki's foot under the desk, but it had no effect. The rat was gone. Not that Kyo cared or anything if Yuki looked stupid. He was just trying to avoid an embarrassing situation for Tohru. Yeah. He kicked again, harder.

"Ow!" Yuki started, snapping out of his reverie. Ignoring the questioning looks he received, he shot a glare at Kyo. "What was that for?"

Kyo raised an eyebrow. So much for being subtle. Oh well, might as well make the best of it. The cat smirked, tilting back in his chair. "Just making sure you don't drool all over yourself. What? Can't I watch out for my family?"

Yuki growled at Kyo's mocking tone. Family? Since when did Kyo consider himself part of the family? And never would that cat care about him! Then all at once, Kyo's words sunk in, and Yuki turned a light shade of pink. Kyo caught him staring! Yuki was just a joke to him!

Tohru watched nervously as Yuki stood, towering over the smug cat. Without warning, Yuki kicked his leg out at Kyo's unbalanced chair, knocking the cat flat on his back. Earning a cheer from Uo, he sat back down, feeling much better. Idiot cat.

In a flutter, Tohru knelt at Kyo's side, hovering above him. Sitting up, Kyo hissed, holding onto the back of his head where it had connected with the hard tiled floor. Damn it throbbed! He glared up at Yuki, his eyes dangerous cat-like slits. What the hell was wrong with him? Couldn't the stuck up little prick take a joke?

"Kyo-kun are you okay?" Tohru's voice filled with worry. She was used to their fights but this one seemed to come out of nowhere. What went wrong?

Yuki watched Tohru help Kyo to his feet, upset. He couldn't understand why she cared for him so much, the cat was violent, rude, and downright nasty!

Uo laughed, doubling over. "That was priceless! Way to go, Prince!"

Yuki ignored her, gathering his things. He was surprised at his anger towards the cat, who for once really didn't do anything. But as he saw Tohru smiling up at Kyo, Yuki felt the anger rise. Enough. Break was over.

* * *

With a sigh of relaxation, Kyo folded his arms behind his head at he lounged on the roof, soaking in the remaining rays before sunset. When they arrived home from school, Shigure was already gone, much to Kyo's relief. Now only if there was a way to be rid of that damn rat for the weekend, too...! That punk, his head still ached a little bit... Kyo couldn't understand it. More and more lately, Yuki had been lashing out, and _hard_.

Listlessly, he opened his eyes halfway, watching the clouds move overtop. The wind blew gently, washing him over with warm air, and before he knew it, he drifted off to sleep.

Hours later, Kyo awoke under the full moon. Stretching, he stood up. Damn, he was hungry. As he turned to swing back into his window, he stopped, his feline eyes catching movement in the dark. He gazed across the yard into the trees, seeing nothing. Passing it off to be his eyes playing tricks on him, he climbed into his window, his mind set on finding some leftovers from dinner.


	2. Saturday, noon

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket

**A.N:** Thank you all who reviewed and to those who have added me onto their author and/or story alert list. It's nice coming back home from a long day at the studio (art major, here) to see an inbox full of nice surprises :)

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**72 Hours**

**-**Saturday, 12:00 pm-

by orange sodap0p

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Tohru leaned back on her palms, inhaling the warm air. Tilting her head back, she gazed into the sky at the clouds. If she squinted hard enough, she could see a rooster. And that one over there was definitely a cow. Oh! And the one directly above the house looked like a tiger! Or was it a cat? Tohru paused in thought. Weren't tigers part of the cat family? Then wouldn't Kisa be technically not allowed at the Main House, too? Akito-san didn't like cats but a tiger was a cat, just a much larger one. But the tiger _did_ arrive to the party and the cat did not. Tohru frowned. How complicated!

Standing, Tohru walked back to the basket of clothes and continued pining them onto the line. She closed her eyes, feeling the sun against her skin. Yes, today was a beautiful day. Finishing up, she reluctantly went back inside, more chores awaiting her.

Downstairs she found Kyo sprawled on the floor in the main room, taking notes from one of the school texts. He didn't seem to notice her come in. Smiling to herself, Tohru crept silently towards him, wondering if she could reach him before he sensed her. Kyo had told her once that part of his training was to be able to sense someone's presence. Excited at her little game, she tiptoed forward.

Kyo tapped his pencil against his notebook, scanning the text for the differences between Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns. Surprisingly, he found his art history class to be rather interesting, but like hell he'd ever admit it out loud.

"Good morning Kyo-kun!!"

Startled, Kyo snapped his head up, finding Tohru crouched in front of him. Where the hell did she come from? Sitting up, he tried to regain his composure. "Morning."

Tohru giggled with delight, remembering Kyo's shocked face all too well. She had done it! Did this mean she could train in martial arts like the others? She had never taken too much interest in it, but she briefly wondered if Kazuma-san would accept her as a student. "Kyo-kun didn't sense me coming!"

Kyo stared at her in amusement. She always got so excited over the littlest things. What was this about? "Yeah? And you normally don't sense a wall two feet in front of your face," he teased, watching her flush in embarrassment.

Tohru looked down in shame, knowing that she could be a real klutz sometimes. But...she did sneak up on Kyo-kun! Smiling proudly, she plodded on. "But Kyo-kun said once that sensing someone was part of training. You didn't sense me! Does that mean I'm just as good as you?"

Kyo bit back a laugh. Smiling, he ruffled her hair. "I wouldn't say just as good. You have a long way to go."

Tohru curled her mouth into a pout, but quickly recovered. Then, remembering why she came downstairs, she asked, "Kyo-kun, I'm going to run to the store, do you need anything?"

"Nah," he waved her off, but suddenly remembered Shigure's news report and the reason why no one was allowed outside for lunch yesterday. Was that guy ever caught...? "Hey wait," he scrambled to his feet just as Tohru opened the front door.

Tohru paused, glancing over her shoulder. Kyo left his homework in the middle of the floor and had followed her to the door, now hastily slipping on his shoes. She smiled, welcoming his company. "Change your mind?"

Kyo shook his head. "I don't need anything, but I can help carry the bags. No sense in me sitting on my ass while you do all the workaround here," he half-lied. Or let you walk alone while some psycho is loose, he add mentally. Trailing behind Tohru, he shut the door and locked it. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he walked beside the girl, not hearing the soft crunching of footsteps behind them over Tohru's chatter.

* * *

Tohru scanned her list, crossing off the last item. "That's everything," she said, walking towards the line, Kyo following with the cart. There wasn't much, just the essentials—milk, eggs, bread, and so on. Entering the check out, they proceeded to place the groceries on the counter. Kyo realized that Tohru probably could have managed, there being only two bags, but the one with the milk was kind of heavy.

Exiting the store, they started to walk back. The market was busy, and Tohru bumped into someone on accident. Quickly she turned and bowed, firing out an apology. "Oh excuse me, I'm sorry!" Head still bent, she glanced up at the man she bumped into. He looked about late twenties, had a slim build, and had a mop of messy brown hair that drooped in front of his eyes. He didn't say anything and continued standing there, staring at her. Tohru started to panic, wondering if she said something wrong. They locked eyes, Tohru's confused brown meeting cold blue. Suddenly the man smiled at her, and bowed himself.

"No, it is I who should apologize," the words rolling smoothly off his tongue.

Kyo scowled, the stranger's eyes lingering too long on Tohru. Was that old pervert checking her out?! Switching the bags so they were in one hand, he grabbed Tohru's arm with the other. "Hey, we should get outta here." Without waiting for a reply, he began to drag her down the street.

Tohru gazed over her shoulder as Kyo pulled her away and saw the man still standing there, watching her until they disappeared around a corner. She shivered, glad to have the cat with her.

Arriving back home, Kyo and Tohru found Yuki in the kitchen with a glass of water. Tohru exchanged greetings with Yuki and the rat's eyes darkened upon seeing her with Kyo. The orange haired teen paid no mind to his cousin, helping Tohru put the groceries away. Finishing his water, Yuki set the glass down, and took the empty bags from Tohru's hands, folding them for her and stashing them in the cupboard she kept them in. He wasn't going to let the cat do everything for her, _he_ could help out Honda-san, too.

After everything was put away, Kyo found his way back to his homework and Tohru starting pulling out the pots and pans she'd need for supper. Yuki lingered in the doorway in thought, watching the small brunette move with ease around the kitchen. He knew he wasn't much of a cook...but maybe Tohru could teach him? Cooking was probably the only thing he knew Kyo was better at than him, and Yuki never saw Kyo offer to help in the kitchen, so maybe if he learned Tohru would stop paying so much attention to that stupid cat. She'd always worry over Kyo, even if he said something hurtful to her or deserved to be hit. Yuki glanced at the idiot laying on the floor instead of sitting at the table and made up his mind. "Honda-san?"

Tohru paused at the stove, turning. "Yes, Yuki-kun?"

Yuki walked towards her, peeking over her shoulder at the stove. "Could you, well, if you don't mind..." he trailed off, unsure. "Could you teach me how to cook?"

"Oh!" Tohru's eyes widened. "That'd be fun! Okay, first make sure your hands are clean, and then you could get the..."

Yuki nodded, listening to her instructions. It couldn't be _that_ hard, could it?

* * *

Within an hour, the sweet aroma of their cooking drifted throughout the first floor. The table was set and everyone was seated. Yuki stared at his plate while everyone else already started eating. No one was complaining, so it must have turned out alright. Hesitantly, he took a bite. He slowly chewed the food, then swallowed. Not bad, just a little spicy. He embarrassedly thought back to pouring way more spices than needed into the bowl..and spilling about half the contents on the floor..and then opening the window because the food he was supposed to watch started to burn...

Kyo paused in eating to take a swig of water. Damn, it was spicy but it was good... "Hey Tohru, this is good. Is there any more?" He was close to finishing, and he still felt a little hungry.

Tohru nodded. "Plently more. It is good, isn't it? Yuki did a good job," she beamed.

Choking, Kyo forced himself to not spit out his food. _Yuki_ did a good job!? Swallowing hard, he glanced at the rat who had some stupid smug look on his face. "Oi, you made this?"

"Yes," Yuki nodded, then added, "with Honda-san's help." So, the cat liked his cooking?

Deciding he wasn't hungry for seconds after all, Kyo stood, finishing his water. "Not bad." Leaving it at that, he headed to the couch and flopped down, spying his texts and unfinished homework still on the floor. Stretching, he ignored them and lazily turned on the tv.

Yuki glared after the retreating cat, before finishing his meal. Thanking Tohru for her cooking lesson once again, he headed upstairs.

Clearing the table, Tohru piled all the dishes next to the sink. One by one, she dunked them into the hot, soapy water, wiping them clean. Humming to herself, Tohru scrubbed the stains away, her strokes in time with her song. Rinsing off a bowl, she set it aside to dry. Almost done! Reaching for another plate, she glanced out of the window at the bright stars. It was still cloudy, but as the wind blew them across the sky, she could spy the stars twinkling between the thick clouds. She continued humming, turning back to the job at hand. As she looked up again, she gasped and jumped, dropping the dish. It crashed to the floor, shattering upon impact. Within seconds both Yuki and Kyo ran into the kitchen.

"Honda-san!"

"Tohru!"

Flustered, Tohru looked at the broken plate, then to the window, mumbling, "I'm sorry, I, I was startled, and it slipped..."

"Don't worry," Yuki soothed, already digging through the closet for the broom. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Kyo watched her nod, but something was off, as her eyes kept trailing back to the window... Walking over, he squinted into the darkness. "Something out there?"

Tohru watched Yuki sweep the broken plate into a pile. "A-a man," she stuttered, twisting her hands nervously. "I saw a man outside the window...or at least, I think I did..." she trailed off, unsure. There wasn't too much she could see about him in the limited light.

"A man?" Yuki stopped sweeping.

Tohru nodded. She gestured towards the sink. "I was washing the dishes and I looked up, and he was standing right outside, looking directly at me. But now he's gone."

Yuki and Kyo exchanged glances, both remembering the dog's warning. Was it possible...?

The cat crossed his arms. "I'm going to have a look outside." Kyo marched to the drawer by the refrigerator, pulling out a flashlight. He switched it on, making sure it worked. Without hesitation, he walked outside onto the porch.

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**A.N:** Thanks again, my reviewers, I'll give you guys each a lil section here at the bottom for responses. See you next chapter!

**sakuraXkiss:** Thank you for the kind words, and I am glad to hear I have them all in character. I was very worried about them being OOC since I haven't read the series in so long!

**gloongluver16:** Thank you! I'm trying to keep this updated without too much time in between chapters. I know I hate waiting for the next chapter in fics I read, too!


	3. Saturday, evening

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Fruits Basket.

**A.N:** For those following this story, I changed the man's looks (in previous chapter, too). For those who are reading for the first time, pay no mind to this author's note ;)

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**72 Hours **

Saturday 7:15 pm

by orange sodap0p

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The cat crossed his arms. "I'm going to have a look outside." Kyo marched to the drawer by the refrigerator, pulling out a flashlight. He switched it on, making sure it worked. Without hesitation, he walked outside onto the porch.

The clouds sporadically covered the moon, the light illuminating the yard for one minute, only to have it disappear the next. Kyo watched the shadows intently from his position in the doorway, trying to decipher the moving shapes as inanimate objects blowing in the wind or if something was really there... Flicking on the flashlight, he stepped off the porch and into the grass.

Yuki stood sentry from just inside the doorway. He knew the cat could fend for himself, but he scanned the yard, anyway, putting their differences aside for the time being. The idea of someone watching Tohru angered and unnerved him. As the moon hid behind another cloud, Yuki wouldn't have been able to see Kyo if not for his flashlight.

Kyo stood in the middle of the yard, his sensitive feline ears listening for any sounds. Slowly, he spun in a circle, the light uncovering all shadows around him. He couldn't hear anything; he couldn't see anything. Then why the hell did he feel like he was being watched? Feeling his hair stand on end, he walked to the porch and crouched down, half expecting something to grab him as he shined the light underneath. Nothing. Standing, he wiped the dirt from his knees, and started for the side of the house when he wavered, unsure. Should he walk the perimeter of the house? It was dark...and if someone was there, they'd probably see Kyo before Kyo saw them. He hated the idea of asking Yuki to come with, for both pride and not wanting to leave Tohru alone. Then, an idea.

Yuki stepped back, allowing Kyo inside the house. "Anything?"

"Not a damn thing," Kyo replied. Then, lowering his voice so Tohru wouldn't overhear, he said, "Maybe ask your little rat friends to check around the house, to be sure."

Yuki nodded, understanding. Closing his eyes, he focused his thoughts, and with a smile he could hear the little scraping of feet as his rats went to work, surveying the outside. _Warn me_, he spoke to them, _if someone comes near_.

Tohru was waiting for them by the kitchen, shifting her weight from foot to foot, face etched with worry. As Kyo walked past to put the flashlight away, she asked, "Did you see him?"

He gave her a small smile. "Nothing's out there. You were probably just seeing things."

Tohru nodded, but wasn't convinced. She knew she saw someone! They looked directly at her! She wanted to ask if she could sleep with one of them tonight, but was afraid they'd laugh at her for being silly. She breathed in, letting the air out slowly. She glanced out of the kitchen window one more time before retiring upstairs. Perhaps a shower would calm her down.

Clean and dry, Tohru settled down in bed, drawing her knees up and leaned against the headboard, text in her lap. She wasn't sleepy yet, so why not do a little studying? She mouthed the words as she read, reading each page twice before moving onto the next. Halfway through the chapter, she stopped, her eyes drifting to the ceiling. Shrugging, she continued on, until she heard it again.

__

Thump, thump, thump

.

Rising, she left her text on her bed and walked into the hallway, curious if anyone else heard it, too. She stopped, however when she saw that both Yuki and Kyo's doors remained closed. Figuring it was nothing, Tohru turned back to her room, but before she took a step, her face twisted in puzzlement. There it was again!

Kyo's door swung open, confusion written all over the cat's face. Glad to see Tohru in the hallway, he gave a sigh of relief. Perhaps he wasn't going crazy after all. "Hey, did you hear that, too?"

Tohru nodded just as Yuki opened his door as well, clearly agitated. He paused when he saw Kyo, giving the cat a funny look. Pointing, he asked "You're inside?"

Kyo rolled his eyes. And Yuki called him dumb. "No," he drawled sarcastically, "I'm not standing directly in front of you." What a loser.

Yuki's eyes narrowed. Sighing in frustration, he explained. "I thought you were on the roof. I was on my way to tell you to be quiet. It's kind of hard to read when every minute I hear something banging around."

"Well don't let me stop you," Kyo stepped towards his door. "Whatever the hell it is, its damn annoying."

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Thump, thump, thump

.

The teens froze, the sound oddly louder. Looking to the ceiling, Yuki strained to hear. They were consistent, and rather rhythmic, like footsteps. But if the cat was down here, then who...? Yuki brushed the thought aside—he told his mice to stand guard. If someone was on the roof, they'd tell him. Unless... Yuki's eyes widened. Unless whoever it was already started to scale the house while the rats were searching the ground! They had to move, they weren't safe here...! But before he could speak he heard a sickening crash, shards of glass sliding into the hallway from Tohru's room.

Tohru jumped at the noise, clasping her hands over her mouth to cover her scream. Frozen, all she could do was listen as boots crushed the broken glass, coming closer. She felt one of the boys take her arm, pulling her into Kyo's bedroom. Just as the door was closing, their intruder stepped into the hallway, and Tohru's mouth fell open. It was him! The same shaggy hair and blue eyes. The same black t-shirt, wiry arms, and loose jeans. The same man who watched her outside the kitchen window, who she bumped into earlier in the day!

Kyo removed his hand from Tohru and quickly signaled at the desk. Taking one side, Yuki grabbed the other and together they hefted it off the ground, moving it in front of the door. Kyo ran his fingers through his hair, nervously. What the _fuck_ was that? Closing his eyes, he steadied his shaking limbs. Okay, _think_. But his mind ran blank; this room was a dead end, they were cornered!

Yuki watched the door, jumping when the knob jiggled. He spun around, frantically searching the room. It didn't hold much—Kyo's bed, a bookshelf, small closet, drawers and the desk against the door. There was nowhere to hide, and nothing to defend themselves with. There was no way out, the man at the door and the window too far up from the ground. Yuki paused. The window! "Kyo!"

The door shuddered in numerous attempts to be pushed open. Tearing his eyes away from the door, the cat snapped his head around, heart racing. "Yeah?" Thankfully his voice sounded calmer than he felt.

Sidestepping around Tohru, Yuki ran to the window and pried it open, sticking his head out, looking up. "You never use the ladder. How do you get to the roof?"

Kyo walked over, catching on. Why didn't he think of this sooner? He _always_ climbed onto the roof from his room! Pushing the rat aside, Kyo braced his arms on either side of the window. Stepping onto the windowsill, he explained. "It's easy, just climb out a little bit, then as you stand, you can reach the edge of the roof. I just pull myself up."

Yuki watched Kyo climb out with a grace only a cat could master. Then he heard Kyo shout for Yuki to help Tohru up. Gingerly, Tohru edged out of the window, grabbing hold of Kyo's extended arms. He immediately pulled her up, then readied himself for Yuki if the rat needed any assistance.

Yuki took one last glance over his shoulder before he climbed out, using Kyo's hand as extra support. As he pulled himself up, he kicked at the window, hearing it slam shut behind him.

Tohru sat huddled on the roof. Now what? They couldn't hide up here forever, surely the man would climb up after them! She closed her eyes, not believing this was actually happening. Maybe it was all a dream and when she opened them, she'd be safe in her bed. But the site that greeted her wasn't her room, but Yuki's hand.

"Come on, Honda-san," he spoke hastily, helping her to her feet. "Hurry down the ladder. We must get downstairs.

Kyo crossed his arms, eyes lingering where they climbed up. "Better go quietly. We could hear him, so I'm sure he'll hear us. Don't need that bastard to go onto the deck and catch us at the bottom of the ladder."

Halfway to the ladder, they froze, hearing the loud crash as Kyo's door finally burst open. Furniture got thrown aside in the frantic search. A curse, then the sound of the window ripping open. Yuki pushed Tohru forward, knowing their pursuer's destination. There was no way down from the cat's window. He turned in time to see hands grip onto the ledge, the figure slowly hefting himself up, climbing to them. "Honda-san, run!"

Tohru sprinted across the roof, not needing to be told twice. She tripped, skidding her knees against the tile. Ignoring the pain, she latched onto the rungs and swung herself over, pausing as the boys stood protectively in front of her.

Growling, Kyo readied himself into a stance, Yuki following suit. There were two of them, they had the advantage. As Tohru climbed down the ladder to safety, she could hear the intruder chuckling. Hovering in the doorway, she listened, hoping Yuki and Kyo would be alright. She didn't remain for long, quickly racing down the stairs to the phone. They needed help, and fast.

The man slowly walked forward, enjoying his little chase. He stopped a few feet in front of the two teens, observing. He could tell by the way they stood that they weren't bluffing. They had some skill, but not enough. "Where'd your little girl go?" he sneered.

Yuki raised his eyebrows at the question, amazed at how calm he felt, his words ice. "After seeing her trip over herself to get _away _from you, we would tell you because...?"

"It'll just make things easier, for you and for me," the man replied, taking a step. "Why continue to run when you're only going to get caught in the end?"

Kyo spat at the taller man's feet. This _had_ to be the guy from Shigure's paper. "Yeah, good question, why _do_ you run when you're only going to get caught?"

All at once, Kyo lunged, Yuki right behind. Kyo's punch was deflected, and Yuki was knocked to the roof, rolling down the slant. The rat dug his fingers into the grooves on the tile, stopping himself. With wide eyes, Yuki watched as the man lurched forward, swinging at Kyo. The cat sidestepped, and countered, barely clipping him in the jaw. Yuki had recovered and charged from behind, but his target turned to meet him with a round house kick, the man's foot making contact with the rat's stomach.

The man stumbled back a few steps, his shoulders shaking with dark laughter. Why didn't these kids realize this was useless? His eyes narrowed. Enough play. Time to get to work. Slowly he strode forward.

Kyo pulled the rat to his feet, noticing the ladder a few feet away. He pushed him backwards and leaned close to Yuki, whispering, "We bought enough time for Tohru, let's get the fuck_ out_."

Yuki nodded, backing up to the edge and quickly scurrying down the ladder. Kyo cursed as the man broke into a run, chasing after them. Kyo swung himself over for his descent just as Yuki made it to the bottom, but he was too late—the man lunged forward, catching the cat by the collar. Kyo wriggled in his grip, trying to push the man off him, but before he could break free, he was hefted into the air and tossed back onto the roof. Landing hard, the cat rolled, lashing his hands out, trying to grip something, anything, but his fingers couldn't get a good hold and the momentum was too great. He dropped over the side, the rooftop slipping further and further away. The last thing he saw was the man's sickening grin as Kyo plummeted towards the ground.

* * *

**A.N:** Thank you VERY much, reviewers! Seriously, you guys rock. And also thank you all who keep adding this as a fav story. Makes me feel like I'm doing something good, here.

If you guys like this then I suggest checking out my other WIP, God's Menagerie. It has some KxT, and involves more of the zodiac. And besides, what isn't fun about Jumanji Furuba-style? :) Okay, enough advertising and onto the responses!

**aihime1:** Hope this was fast enough! I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and thank you for the info. I guess you're right, he is pretty stereotypical! I went back and changed it :)

**disneydork:** I'm glad you think so! I feel like I'm fighting with it, and I never tried suspense kind of thing before. A beta would be wonderful, actually. I'm currently at home for the weekend but I'll contact you once I get back to school :)

**UnreadableMe:** Honestly, I'm not sure if it's KxT or YxT either! O.o When I planned this out like, two years ago (yeah I'm slow .) it was going to be a YxT but somehow it became neither of the two. It's more like Yuki really likes her and is jealous of the attention she gives Kyo, who....doesn't even seem to care .

**WolvesAngelz:** Luckily I had a good portion of this written before I submitted chapter two so the wait wasn't as long as it could have been ;)

See you guys next chapter!


	4. Saturday, night

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket

**A.N:** Ahh, I'm surprised I'm not dead yet . Sorry for those who were following this story, but I decided I wanted to take your advice and try to extend this story a little longer. Here is a new version of the 4th chapter. A little shorter than the others, but then that gives me more room for the next chapter :)

* * *

**72 Hours**

**-**Saturday, 9:00 pm-

By orange sodap0p

* * *

Yuki watched in horror from the bottom of the ladder as Kyo was thrown back onto the roof. Without hesitation, Yuki scrambled back up the ladder to help, reaching the top just in time to see the cat fall off the side! The rat's mouth fell open, his limbs freezing, eyes glued to where Kyo slipped. The rat waited to see the orange head of hair climb back up, hoping the cat caught himself, but as the seconds ticked by, Yuki knew it was in vain. No...no, this wasn't happening! Kyo can't fall from the roof, he's _always_ up here! The man laughed while looking over the edge, smiling at the site that greeted him. Turning, his eyes spied Yuki. Snapping out of it, Yuki knew he had to get to Kyo. And Honda-san. Where did she run to?

Placing his feet on the sides, Yuki slid down the ladder before sprinting back inside. Bounding down the stairs, he called, "Honda-san!" Reaching the bottom, he stopped, turning towards the front door, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Kyo... But before he could take a step, he heard the heavy footsteps upstairs. He glanced around widly—where was Tohru? Biting his lip, he took one last look at the front door before moving into the main room.

* * *

Darkness. Darkness so thick he felt like he could hardly breathe. Each breath was labored, burning his chest. It burned so much he wanted to quit, to give up. And just when he decided that would be his best option, he felt something bump him. He tried to shift, to move away from whatever it was, but his body wouldn't respond. Softy, it bumped him again, the pressure lingering slightly before moving away again. Groaning, he finally cracked open his eyes, his vision clouded by spotted blackness. Blinking slowly, he could see a house. A house? Who's...? _Shigure's_, his mind supplied him. He had been staying at Shigure's ever since he came down from the mountain. He closed his eyes, letting out another groan. His whole body burned. What happened?

_Mew._

Kyo's ears perked at the noise, before feeling the soft body brush against him. Peeling his eyes open again, he saw the tabby standing in front of him, it's face mere inches away from his own.

_Mew._

His mind told his body to sit up, but his limbs just wouldn't move. He felt so dizzy, so slow. He could feel the darkness wanting to absorb him again, but he fought to stay awake. He concentrated on trying to move, starting with his feet. If he could move his feet, then he knew he'd be okay... He felt the tabby lick at his face, and another one brush against his legs. Then, very slowly, he willed his feet to move gently side to side. And that's when he heard it. A scream coming from within the house. And it all came crashing back to him.

"Tohru," he gasped, her name barely a whisper.

* * *

Tohru hung up the phone just as Yuki jogged into the kitchen, colliding into her.

_Poof!_

"Ah! Yuki-kun!" She gasped in horror. Stupid, stupid, stupid! She mentally yelled at herself, picking up the mouse from the floor. Why did she always collide into them when it was the worst possible time! She slung his clothes over her shoulder, then looked around wildly. Where to go? Running back into the main room, she skidded to a halt and screamed.

He stood in the doorway, blocking the hall. She couldn't get past him! Glancing around, she saw the back door and made a run for it, but the man was quicker, running after her and cutting her off. With a laugh, he lunged at her, but Tohru managed to dodge it. Eyes wide, she looked around for any means of escape. Keeping a tight hold onto Yuki, she kept moving, trying to stay one step ahead. Then suddenly he caught hold of the arm that held the mouse.

She felt her heart stop. No! He couldn't hurt Yuki-kun! She tried to yank her arm out of his grasp, but he was stronger. Wildly, she whipped her head around, searching for something, anything! But before she had the chance to find herself a weapon within reach, she heard the distinct sound of teeth sinking into flesh followed by a yowl of pain, and instantly she found her arm free.

The man snarled at her, holding his bleeding hand, and quickly recovered, diving at Tohru once again. Yuki spit the blood out of his mouth and wiped his face with his little paws. Run, Honda-san! he thought, and then almost fell out of her hold as he felt her come to a sudden halt. Looking up, he saw her behind the couch, legs spread shoulder width apart, ready to turn in either direction. The man was on the other side, staring at her, waiting for her to move. His hand still dripped blood and Yuki couldn't help but grin.

Both of them stood still for what felt like minutes before Tohru suddenly took off to the right, only to skid to a stop as the man mirrored her movements. She backed up slowly, centering herself with the couch again, watching him with wide eyes. He smiled sickly at her, then all at once he vaulted over the couch, landing in front of her! Tohru screamed and her body reacted before her mind realized what was going on. With all her might, she slapped at his injured hand, paralyzing him for a few seconds as she sprinted to the hallway. Coming to, the man swore and went to chase after her, but he tripped over the mess of Kyo's text books on the floor and landed with a hard thump.

Ducking into Shigure's study Tohru closed and locked the door. Breathing hard, she set Yuki down, and his clothes next to him. Shaking in fear, she slid down the wall, trying to calm her nerves. Where was Kyo?

* * *

The cat took a sharp intake of air, hissing in pain. He could hardly move his left leg. He finally was able to sit up, and was now leaning back heavily on his hands. Kyo winced as one of the cats brushed against his injured leg. He looked back to the house, cursing. That _freak_ was somewhere in there with Tohru. "Oi, you dumb cats, do something useful!" He growled as they just continued rubbing against him.

_Mew. _

Turning his head, Kyo saw two cats dragging...a branch? They dropped it near his side, the wood thick and a little longer than half his body.

* * *

Tohru stared at the door while Yuki got dressed. He had changed back not too long ago, and ever since she hid them in the study, there had been no noise in the hallway. It was... too quiet. She knew that man was out there somewhere, probably waiting for them. Or Kyo! Oh no, she hoped nothing happened to him and that he was okay...

"Honda-san?"

Tohru turned, Yuki fully clothed.

Yuki smiled at her, placing a hand on her shoulder. He was proud of her. "Honda-san," he whispered again. "You did great. You were very brave protecting me. We're both safe because of you." She gave him a small smile in return, but he could see that she was still very afraid.

"Yuki-kun," her voice was soft. "Where's Kyo-kun? I hope he's alright..."

Yuki felt a stab in his chest, not able to meet Tohru's eyes. She stood, watching him, her face frowning in worry. She felt his hand slip away, dropping to his side. She reached out to him, trying to take his hand into hers. "Yuki-kun?"

Yuki flinched away from the touch, numb. What to say...? Sighing, he mumbled, "He was thrown off. I, I want to go find him."

Tohru blinked in confusion, her mind slowly processing his words. Then all at once, it clicked. She gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth, eyes wide. No! She felt the familiar tingle in her eyes as tears threatened to seep out.

Stepping past Tohru, Yuki walked towards the door. "We have to get to him, what if he's hurt bad?" Or dying, Yuki thought miserably.

Tohru felt her heart leap out of her chest. "No!" she hissed, pulling him back, "You can't go out there, that man is waiting, I know it!" This time, she couldn't hold the tears back. "I can't lose you, too!"

Yuki smiled weekly at the girl. "We can't lose Kyo, either. As much as I can't stand him, he isn't _that_ bad," he paused, the words sounding too foreign to his ears. For good measure, he added, "Just stupid and annoying."

Tohru held her breath as Yuki opened the door a crack, peering into the hallway. Sensing nothing, he stepped cautiously into the hall. Not wanting to be left behind, Tohru willed her feet to move, following close behind.

Yuki stopped halfway down the hall. Something wasn't right, he could feel it. But he had to get to Kyo. Suddenly his eyes widened and he held tight to Tohru's arm as he heard the mocking laughter before the lights blinked out.

* * *

**A.N: **You wanted more, and I give you more! :D

And to everyone who had reviewed this chapter before I started changing everything, thanks and I hope you're still with me!!


	5. Saturday, night part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

**A.N:** Whoo new chapter! Okay, some of this was part of the old chapter 4, and I liked it and I just didn't want to get rid of it, sorry . But! A lot of it IS new!

* * *

**72 Hours**

-Saturday, 9:47 pm-

by orange sodap0p

* * *

The man's mocking laughter rang in Yuki's ears as he stood still in the dark, hoping his eyes would hurry up and adjust already. The intruder probably already knew where they were standing since he cut the light, so they had to move. Think, Yuki, think! His eyes darted around, the lights to the main room and upstairs were out too, leaving the house in total darkness. The man was smart, leaving the hallway light on until they stepped out. The hallway light...Yuki gasped. The switch was near the front door! They were walking right towards him!

Yuki grabbed onto Tohru's shoulders, hoping shed stay quiet as he ushered her in the direction of the main room, his eyes now fully adjusted. By the way Tohru walked, however, Yuki knew she was still having trouble seeing. Entering the main room, moonlight shown through the window and Yuki strained his ears to hear for footsteps behind them. Nothing. As he was about to take another step forward, he heard it. It was soft, but it grew louder within seconds.

Police sirens.

* * *

Kyo dropped the branch, disgusted. It would have been a great crutch if he could manage to _stand up_. But that's a little hard when your leg is broken. In at least three places. He needed another type of support. He glanced to the house, but it was a few feet away. An awfully long way to drag himself, few feet or not. His leg _hurt_, god dammit! Not to mention how woozy he was feeling. Every time he moved too quickly, he felt like he had to puke. He touched the back of his head where it was sore. He probably had a concussion.

Sighing, he started the long and grueling process of dragging his broken body towards the side of the house. He had to do it. Tohru's screams stopped a while ago, and he hoped it was because she was hiding. That damn rat better be taking _good_ care of her!

Looking up, he stopped his struggles, seeing red and blue blinking lights in the distance. Could it be...? Sirens grew louder, and Kyo found himself sighing in relief. Help was finally here... Suddenly heard the front door open and close. Hoping it might be Yuki or Tohru, he opened his mouth to call out, but his happiness was cut short when he saw the outline of a much taller figure. Shit. As quiet as possible, he tried to drag himself into the bushes to hide. The figure started to walk in his direction. Kyo began to sweat, dragging his legs as fast as he could go. He was _so_ close, but would he make it before he was seen? Then all at once, a swarm of cat rammed into him, rolling him into the brush. His jaw fell open in shock and he clamped his hands over his mouth to try to muffle his screams. A wave of pain starting in his leg worked it way up his entire body, paralyzing him.

What...? The man had just rounded the corner of the house to watch the car approach when he heard something behind him. Turning, he saw a tabby cat poke its head out of a bush and meowed at him, before running off into the woods. He glared after it. Damn strays. Crouching down, he silently waited for the police car to park.

The police car approached, and both the man and Kyo could hear the officer on his radio as he stepped out of the car. With a beep, he pushed the button to talk.

"I just reached the house where the call came from. The lights appear to be out, but I'm going to check anyway."

The radio beeped again as he let go of the button, and a loud voice on the other end responded, but it was too broken and fuzzy for Kyo to hear. Then another beep.

"No, it looks pretty quiet. I don't think back up will be needed."

Kyo bit his lip, forcing himself to be quiet. If that freak wasn't standing so close to him, he'd have half the mind to yell out to the cop that he was an idiot. No back up. Great.

Kyo listened as he heard the officer walk up to the house, knocking on the front door. That's when the man decided to move. Stealthily, he crept back around the corner, leaving Kyo to himself. The cat swallowed hard, listening intently. His hands shook, and for once he enjoyed the company of the tabby cats as they brushed against him, purring softly, trying to calm his shot nerves.

Then he heard it. A gurgled scream and the splatter of blood.

Kyo's whole body went stiff, the cats having no calming effect on him now. Licking his dry lips, he heard something being dragged across the ground. _Please don't let it be what I think it is... _His heart stopped as the body of the police officer was dropped directly in front of his hiding spot. The man's eyes were still open, the look of shock etched onto his face, his throat slit, blood pooling around his body. Kyo tore his eyes away from the body. This man wasn't fooling around. Tohru, please be okay...

_

* * *

_

Yuki halted at the back door, hearing the knocking coming from across the house. The knocking continued, and the rat looked at Tohru. Did help finally arrive? Taking in a deep breath, Yuki was tired of hiding. If the police were here, then everything would be okay. Using the moonlight, he walked to the wall near the kitchen and flicked the light on. The main room burst into light, and he squinted, his eyes stinging. The man was nowhere to be seen. Cautiously, he walked over, peeking into the hallway. Nothing. The knocking had stopped. Yuki's heart skipped a beat. No! They couldn't leave! Racing to the door, he threw it open.

Nothing. No one.

Sighing in defeat, he flicked the hallway light on. What the hell was happening in this house? It was like one crazy nightmare and he wished he'd wake up soon.

"Is he gone?"

Yuki turned, hearing Tohru's hesitant voice.

"I don't know. I don't hear anything and I don't see him. There's a police car parked outside, but no one is here." Yuki suddenly felt very tired. The night was catching up to him. Then, he heard footsteps behind him and Tohru's shaky voice.

"Y-Yuki-kun..."

Yuki glanced up at Tohru, her eyes wide, her body shaking. Behind Yuki stood that...that _monster _that pushed Kyo-kun...!

The man snickered in delight, his _prey_ staying put in the house, waiting right for him. Looking past Yuki, his eyes locked on Tohru. "Better just let me have her," he growled. "You're just in my way, boy. Don't make me hurt you like I did the last one."

Yuki's gasped at the sight of their intruder and instantly adrenaline was pumping through his veins once more, shaking off his weariness. His fists clenched in anger, remembering Kyo falling. And now this man wanted to hurt Tohru... He never felt so...so pissed off...! "You're NOT going to touch Honda-san!" Yuki declared, positioning himself between the man and Tohru. He was her last line of defense, and like hell was he going to go down without a fight! No more running. This was going to get settled here and _now. _Placing his feet shoulder-width apart, he readied himself into his stance. He had to be quick and precise; there was no room for mistakes. This wasn't one of his silly fights with the cat, this was for real. Yuki's eyes narrowed to slits. The thought of Kyo hurt ignited his tempter even more.

Yuki scowled as the man stood there, laughing at him, as if this whole scenario was a joke. Yuki wanted to lunge at him, to hurt him, but he knew to wait. He knew this game very well— taunting was how he made Kyo attack first, making the cat's emotions get the best of him. Yuki wasn't going to fall for his own trick.

Slowly, the giant casually walked down the hall, his fingers hovering over something clipped to his front pocket. Yuki strained to see what it was, but his large hand blocked his view. Then suddenly, the man flicked the object out, revealing a blade as he jumped at Yuki! Letting his reflexes take over, Yuki dodged to the side, latching onto the man's wrist, trying to use his momentum against him to stab himself in the leg. The man, however, was stronger, and jerked his arm, flinging Yuki off of him. Before Yuki could recover, the man bent over him, smiling.

"Yuki-kun!" Tohru gasped and reached her hand out while watching in horror as Yuki was hefted up by the collar. He slammed the rat against the wall, his body sliding to the floor, motionless.

Stepping over Yuki's limp form, he moved towards her, towards his _prize_. Tohru felt vulnerable, naked, under his stare as his eyes slowly trailed down her body, drinking in every detail, every curve, every inch of visible skin. His lips twisted into grin and she felt nervous as her stomach muscles tightened, her skin pricking, shivers running down her spine. Tohru took a shaky step back, connecting with the wall. Frantically, she looked around for any means of escape, only to have her vision restricted as his large form loomed over hers.

He laughed, deep and throaty, a wicked grin playing on his lips. His hands whipped out, grabbing her wrists painfully, yanking them above her head and pinning her against the wall.

Tohru visibly shook in fear, eyes unblinking as his face neared hers. His rough chin scratched at her skin and he whispered in her ear, "You're going to _beg_ for me to let you die..."

He adjusted his hands so only one held her wrists, while the other took the blade and slowly slit the front of her dress, revealing the soft flesh underneath. His head lowered, licking her skin. Tohru wriggled in his grasp, trying to break free, but only to have her lips captured as he kissed her roughly. Tohru mewled in protest, then boldly bit down on his tongue.

Howling, he shot back, his hands clasping over his mouth. His eyes narrowed to slits and he slapped her hard, blood dripping from his mouth. "You _bitch_!" Growling, he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look straight at him. His other hand rested atop her head. "All it will take," he hissed, "is for me to snap your pretty little neck."

Tohru's breathing hitched, feeling her eyes pool up with tears. She could feel the man's blood on her face, her stomach churning in disgust. With one last, valiant effort, she let out a desperate cry and shot her leg out with as much force as she could muster, kicking her attacker in the shins.

His grit his teeth, malice dripping from his voice, the pain not even fazing him. "Nice try."

Tohru felt his grip tighten on her. Squeezing her eyes shut, the droplets fell from her eyes as she waited for her end...

...that never came.

With a heavy thunk, the man's eyes rolled to the back of his skull as he fell forward onto Tohru before crumpling to the floor. Shocked, Tohru found herself staring face to face with...Kyo! The cat stood behind him, breathing hard, letting the hardcovered book slip from his fingertips. Leaning heavily against his branch, he looked at Tohru, rasping, "You, are you okay?"

Tohru nodded, eyes widened in disbelief. But, but Yuki-kun said Kyo-kun had fallen from the roof! She stared at him in wonder, noticing him supporting his weight against the makeshift crutch. He held his hand out to her, and she accepted it, stepping over the man's unmoving body. Kyo limped his way over to Yuki and watched as Tohru kneeled before the rat, gently shaking him. No response. Tohru tried again, but received the same result. Tears continued to stream from her eyes. Yuki had to wake up! He had to, he _had_ to...! She reached to try again, but was pulled back.

"Hey, if you keep shaking him like that it could do him worse. He'll be okay, he's strong," Kyo spoke softly.

Slumping against the wall, Tohru sniffled, wiping her eyes. "I'm so scared. I...I had called the police, and they came, but they_ left_ us," she said, her eyes still on Yuki. She wished he'd wake up.

Carefully, Kyo crouched down using his branch as support, trying to keep his one leg straight. The damned thing hurt like all hell. Sitting down, he leaned heavily against the wall, tilting his head back in relief. Closing his eyes, he replied, "Don't worry about the officer who knocked on the door. More are on their way, though." He suddenly felt very tired.

Tohru looked at Kyo quizzically. What was that supposed to mean? But then she realized that honestly, she _didn't care_. Kyo was safe, he was here, he was _alive_. The sudden realization brought new tears to her eyes, and she didn't bother wiping them away. The three of them were here, and Yuki would wake up soon. They'd all be okay.

* * *

**A.N:** And that concludes that! Well, almost. Still one more chapter to go, wrapping everything up. I hope I did well extending this story like you guys wanted ^^ And I PROMISE I won't leave you all hanging for this last chapter like I did last time. Half of it is already typed up and good to go. Just have to finish it :D

**Sacalow:** _-bows- _Glad to be of service ;) Entertaining people is one of my favorite things to do, and I'm glad I'm succeeding. When I read your review, I was hoping you were visiting and not the one being visited, but if so, I hope you recover soon! You have my best wishes.

**latsy:** Yay, I'm happy you think so! ^^ I worked real hard on this, trying to up the drama and all. It's good to know it is catching interest!

**sakuraXkiss:** Heey! You're still with me! :D I'm glad you liked the changes I made. I was afraid I was going to make the story worse! Haha! I don't think there's too much more that can happen, so the next chapter will be the last. Shigure still has to come home. Imagine what he'll think, huh?


	6. Sunday, afternoon

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

* * *

**72 Hours**

-Sunday, 2:35 pm-

by orange sodap0p

* * *

Tohru perked her head up at the commotion in the hallway. Glancing at both beds in the room, she hoped their sleep would be undisturbed. But just then the door swung open revealing a very worried Shigure.

"Tohru!" he gasped, walking into the hospital room, then his eyes widened finding both boys with their eyes closed. No! Were they in a coma? How long until they would wake? Would they ever wake? Dammit, if only he just stayed _home_! Unable to stay still, he paced the room, mumbling to himself, unaware of Hatori walking in and quietly closing the door.

The dragon glanced at Shigure as he walked to the beds. "I suggest you keep quiet, they need their rest."

Shigure jumped at the voice, spinning around. "Hari! Are they okay?"

Tohru giggled from her seat in corner. She never saw Shigure so frazzled before! Movement caught her eye, and she saw Yuki stirring. So much for letting them sleep. At least Yuki got a few hours of rest. Her eyes drifted to Kyo. He was still sleeping soundly.

"Both are okay, as with Tohru," Hatori replied, examining his clipboard. "Yuki was knocked unconscious, but when he woke up he appeared to be functioning normally, and Kyo has a concussion and his left leg is broken in three places, but with time he should heal."

Yuki sat up, groggily rubbing his eyes. Hatori walked over, giving the rat a small smile. "You're to go home today, Yuki. How are you feeling?"

Yuki looked at him, confused, then all at once, every memory crashed back. He looked around wildly, slowly calming down as he realized where he was and that Tohru was with them, and safe. What happened after he was knocked out? Turning, he saw he was sharing a room with the cat, who had his leg in a cast and propped up, his chest rising and falling evenly in his slumber. Yuki sighed in relief, seeing his cousin to be okay. "I feel alright, I guess. What happened?"

Standing, Tohru walked over to Yuki, her hands unconsciously playing with the hem of her skirt. "After you got knocked out, that man attacked me, but...but Kyo-kun saved me. He had come in through the front door, and soon after more police cars showed up with an ambulance. Kyo hit him on the head with one of Shigure-san's books," she beamed.

Even though he was still a bit confused, Yuki nodded his head. So, Kyo was their savior? In the back of his mind, the rat part of him couldn't help but wonder if that meant the cat had finally won. Shaking away those thoughts, he smiled up at Tohru. "I'm glad you're okay."

The room fell into silence and Shigure turned the small television on for background noise.

_"This weekend, the man, Tatsuya Yukimura, wanted for the murder of his girlfriend three nights ago, broke into a neighborhood house with only teenagers home."_

Tohru found her gaze locked onto the TV, as with Yuki and Shigure, and even though Hatori wasn't watching, she knew he was listening.

_"Officer Yoshiro Kino arrived at the scene, but oddly enough the one to radio for backup wasn't Kino, but one of the occupants of the house. As more help arrived, officials found Yukimura already knocked unconscious and the teens hurt, but not critically wounded. The police are still investigating, and Yukimura will be sentanced a life time in prison for..."_

Kyo's ears had perked up when the television turned on, and he listened quietly with his eyes still closed. He was so glad this mess was over with. He shifted slightly in his bed, smiling when he didn't feel any pain. He was probably drugged. Normally he didn't like medicine or shots, but right now, no pain felt absolutely _amazing_.

"Is Kyo-kun awake?"

The cat lazily opened one eye, spying Tohru near his hospital bed. Taking in a deep breath, he let it out slowly, before yawning. He couldn't sit himself up very well because of his leg being elevated, but he opened both eyes and set his attention on the girl. "Yeah, Kyo-kun is awake," he responded softly, mimicking her words.

Tohru opened her mouth to speak, but decided against it, a soft smile playing on her lips. Secretly, she was impatiently waiting for him to wake up. She cared deeply about both boys, but there was something different about the cat, and she felt happier in his presence, even if he was very loud. Soon, everything could return to normal.

Yuki found the remote for the television near his bedside, where Shigure had placed it. He had enough excitement for the weekend, and he didn't need to relive it by hearing the story on the news. Holding up the remote, he pressed the buttons, scrolling through other channels. Immediately, he heard a complaint from the other side of the room.

"Hey, I was listening to that, Rat-boy."

Yuki rolled his eyes at his cousin, obviously not caring. "So what," he started. "It's not like you don't know what happened."

Kyo felt the hair on his neck bristle. "Yeah but they were talking about me!" he said, glaring at the rat. "I called for the police on that guy's radio, so I'm waiting to hear my thanks."

Yuki let out a frustrated groan. What an idiot. "You want a thank you? Alright. Thanks for being a moron and falling off the roof leaving Honda-san by herself."

Tohru listened as Kyo's temper erupted, quickly followed by Yuki's sarcastic comebacks. Nervously, she glanced back and forth between the two, the temporary alliance terminated. She was sure everyone could hear them down the hall.

"Damn rat! I should have left you for dead!"

"Keep talking and I'll break your _other_ leg!"

Perhaps things returned to normal already.

* * *

**A.N:** Whew! All done. The ending was short, but there really wasn't much left to write, and I didn't want to draw it out longer than needed. Thank you to everyone who read this and for those who added this to their fav stories list :) And of course, thank you to all who reviewed!! :D

Now that this mini project is done, I'm going to continue working on my main story, God's Menagerie. Hope to see some of you there? :)

Oh, and also, to everyone who had reviewed my first chapter 4 before I revised and reposted it, thank you VERY much. I'm sorry I didn't write out responses, but I did read all of them!

**Lightkit:** Haha, Kyo did call the police. I didn't touch on it much last chapter because I wanted it to come out in the open in this one to kinda wrap everything all together. He was sneaky, using the officer's radio ^^ Also, I liked your idea of a news story from the review you left on the first chapter 4 I had written. That's where the TV report came in :)

**123-Cat-Cat-321:** Yuki is alive and well ^^ I don't think I could ever kill any of these characters, I love em all, haha! And...I know I tend to write kinda more pro-Kyo cause I like him more, but I like Yuki too! Thanks for the review! :D

**UnreadableMe:** Ahh! Thank you! :D I'm glad you really like it and hopefully I got this last chapter out quick enough :)

**Silent Rena:** You have no idea how great it is to hear that! I'm really happy that you can feel for the characters and the emotions they are going through :D

**latsy:** Haha, you're welcome. I like to put responses back to my reviewers because I think it's a good thing to do, and it might encourage others to review, as well, hehe. And I had a lot of fun with Kyo's cats. I figured it'd be cool to put them in there because they'd swarm him in the anime, haha. Useful but annoying ;)

**Neomeneomine:** Thanks! I do try to keep a balance of things—not too long, not too short. And descriptions, man that's honestly hit and miss with me. Sometimes I think I over describe, and others I feel like I'm not telling enough. But I try, and I'm glad you like my style :)


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